Unveiling

I had a great opportunity to visit Svaneti—one of the most historical and scenic region in Caucasus mountain range back in March. Svaneti doesn’t only stand out by its stunning high-mountain views, but also by its rich cultural heritage where the Svan traditional wisdom and creativity can be found. Along our route, we passed by so many unique architecture. They are Svan stone towers either freestanding or attached to residential houses. In the ancient times, those towers were built mainly as fortifications against invaders like Mongols, Persians and Turks. They were also livable. People used the space in the lower level to cook and store goods, and middle level as living space. Nowadays, those towers are mostly abandoned. However, a few were turned into museum sites where ancient treasure are preserved and displayed.